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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

I just got burned by a customer. She was expecting me to "pop in" to take a look at a piano I'd previously condemned, just to tweak a couple of notes to stop them sticking. She was hoping I'd do this for free,when I said I would have to charge, she damn near burst into tears. Really frustrating though!

In some situations you either do work for free, or the customer badmouths you to everyone she knows.

I like to put in writing any irregularities, like when that customer doesn't want to have parts re-pinned, opting instead for a lesser cost lube, I put it on the invoice "parts may stick again in the future, no warranty", and that info goes in the computer file. When that customer calls two months later with sticking, I pull up the file and see what I did, why, and that there is no warranty, and the issue of cost is resolved before I make the trip out there.

If it sounds like a piano might be junk, I'm sure to tell them there is a minimum service call charge of $XX.XX if I can't tune the piano. I failed to say that a few months ago, and the customer said "you didn't tell me there would be a charge." Rather than argue with him, I ate the cost. He was ticked off because he moved his junker across the state only to have me tell him the bad news.

Some customers can be a bit unreasonable, but there are far more great customers than not so great!

Tuned a Yamaha console today, took the bench home for repairs. After that, I went over to a customers home where I had sub contracted the work to another tech. He completed it this past Friday. I like to drop in on them from time to time to make sure their work is up to par. It was but for 2 octaves that I had to re-tune. Gave the customer a bill, they paid me.

Last Friday, I had dropped off my Eden Pure heater for repairs. It was done so I drove 30 minutes to pick it up. Nobody near me repairs them but for this one place. Then, dropped off the bench to a friend to have it fixed.

Next, drove to my college and tuned 7 pianos. 1 Steinway B, some Yamaha's and some Kawai's. Long day. I'm tired.

Sounds good doesn't it?...a "rain wrapped" tornado. I'll take a six pack of those and some billowy clouds to go.

RPD

I was telling a work friend about how my brother-in-law visited us in Florida in 2005 during one of the 4 hurricanes that hit the state (we were out of the direct path, but had 13 inches of rain that day and 60 mph winds). He was happy to go outside and walk in it a bit, because it completed his list of natural disasters personally experienced: a tornado and a blizzard in South Dakota, an earthquake in San Diego, and a cyclone while in the Navy.The work friend quietly related how he went to his sister-in-law's farm to help clean up the incredible mess after a tornado. She was killed. Never again will I joke about natural disasters.

Old blonde Baldwin Hamilton in a middle school, then did some maintenance on a Pramberger grand (reshape hammers, voice, clean soundboard, vacuum interior, vacuum action and keybed). From there I went to a Hampton console. I'm thinking this must have been one of Kimball's brands since it had a Schwander action. At pitch, but a few of the jacks had pins coming out of them. Also had to adjust capstans in the bass section to introduce some lost motion. Not a bad day.

Well, this is my first of what I hope to be many posts in this thread in the future! Right now, I'm like "Herbie" the "dentist" in "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"--I hope to be a piano tech...someday!

Bill Bremmer, RPT, came over today to work on my 1903 Haddorff 56" upright and show me how to do some things. Prior to his arrival, I had taken the action out, unhooked all the bridal straps and took off all the dampers. I tried replacing a hammer flange butt plate, but couldn't get the thing to work right. Found out later that the screws that came with the plates I ordered were too big for the hole in the flange.

Anyway, when Bill came over, he checked work that I had done cleaning the bass strings and replacing missing ivories, things that he had explained how to do during his last visit. Then, we got to work. We took off the hammer spring rail, then he had me buzz the new butt plates with the dremmel grinder to round their edges off a little. He re-pinned the hammers in the middle section, a few in the bass, and a few in the treble while replacing about 2 doz. butt plates. During this process, he discovered that some of the hammers had been placed out of order at some point in the piano's history and worked that puzzle for a while.

Meanwhile, I cleaned the rust and the dust off the hammer rail springs with alcohol and steel wool and retensioned them. Then I started cleaning the damper wires and springs and lightly sanded the damper felts. When Bill had all the hammers moving the way he wanted them, he re-shaped them. We put the hammer spring rail back on and put the springs back in place, then Bill lubed the damper rod.

I still have about half the dampers to clean and sand yet. (Hey, I may not be fast, but at least I'm slow!)

Man, did I ever learn a lot today! Plus, we had a great time swapping stories and listening to jazz while we worked! In between the jazz, instructions, explanations of what he was doing, descriptions of what other work needed to be done on the piano, stories, and laughs, Bill would occasionally spontaneously break into song: recitatives from an upcoming Handel oratorio! Life is good.

Perusing the files of tomorrow's customers, I notice I've had pricing disputes with my 3pm customer at previous tunings. My notes say from 3 years ago, Cust only wanted to pay $xx, which was way below market at the time. Due to that, when confirming the next tuning (two years ago), I confirmed the price with him, he resisted, saying the price was too high, so we canceled the job.

He calls back 3 months later, agrees to pay the price, and I tune the piano. Now, it's two years later, he is scheduled for tomorrow, and prices have again increased. When confirming the appointment, I tell him the price is $xxx. He complained and said last time it was $xx. I explained that was two years ago and prices have gone up. I offered to cancel the appointment and he could shop for another tuner, or he could pay the current price of $xxx. He agreed to pay the current price. I'm still going to call him when I'm on the way, though to confirm. My customer notes saved me the hassle of discussing price in the customer's home after the piano is tuned.

Not trying to tell you how to run your business there Bob but for customers such as this I just bid them good day and move on. This fellow does not care about you or your work; he just wants the lowest price. Moreover he probably does this with everything in his life. Life is just too short to deal with the people who have made money their God.

Stayed home yesterday. Was supposed to tune at Calvin College but we had high winds as Rick pointed out in an earlier thread. My wife was kind of freaked with it all, upwards of 60 MPH winds with tornado warnings all around on and off and tornado watches and stuff so, well, I thought it was a good enough excuse to stay put for the day so, I did.

Getting a late start today. Going to the college in the afternoon. Seems a bit better time to get at the practice pianos.

Then, I volunteer as a driver for the Ronald McDonald House tonight from 6-9 PM. Been doing that for 8 years now. If any one of you is looking for an opportunity to volunteer for a great organization, this one is it.

The price sensitive customer is from a different country - from a culture that haggles on price. He was glad to see me, and I layed down a good solid tuning for him. I gave this customer the opportunity to get the lowest price, and he declined. He went price shopping 2 years ago. He just wants a good value for his money, and that's what he got! Because I had notes on him, I was prepared for the haggle and was able to work it out.

The price sensitive customer is from a different country - from a culture that haggles on price. He was glad to see me, and I layed down a good solid tuning for him. I gave this customer the opportunity to get the lowest price, and he declined. He went price shopping 2 years ago. He just wants a good value for his money, and that's what he got! Because I had notes on him, I was prepared for the haggle and was able to work it out.

That's exactly how this must be handled. I might belong to that particular country you're talking about. Add to that the fact that I'm a student in a foreign country with limited means. I called a few RPT's and compared prices. Tunings ranged from $75-100. I went with the one that was available the earliest. His charge was $80 but he worked on the piano for longer and had to do two runs of tuning. He asked for $140 and I paid the money happily because he worked hard at the tuning for 2.5 hours. He also did a quick 5 minute steam voicing.

People from my country do like to haggle but when we really want something, we want it to be the best value for money. Once we are convinced about the value, we no longer haggle. However, to claim that value is guaranteed because the price is high, does not fly with us somehow. Its a cultural thing.. I'm glad there are people who understand this. Its those people that we do our best business with.

I have exactly $185 in my account as we speak (I have a non working wife to support too). My meager stipend will be here in 3 days and I'm counting on it. So to have people tell me to pay $140 to anybody who claims that their tuning is the best because their price is the highest, is plain offensive. I will absolutely talk about price and about everything that the price includes. I will make sure that I shop around for prices! I will make sure that the little money I do have is not wasted. If people want to call that haggling, that's fine!

Started out with a Hamilton studio at a church. After that, three more at another church: Steinway B, Acrosonic console, and a 125-cent flat Henry F. Miller spinet! From there another Acrosonic at a private home.

Tuesday, had the day off from the very high winds here. Stayed home with the wife.

Wed: Tuned a Kawai K-3 a Yamaha U1, another Yamaha U1, (going through my list) a Yamaha Diskaliver, a Kawai K-3, a Yamaha P22, a Baldwin L. Removed the action on the L. Filled 2 stripped holes in the damper stop rail and adjusted same. Regulated the sost., pedal. Tightened the hammer flanges, spaced same. Regulated the cheek block screw for the soft pedal. Regulated 2 dampers, bent the wires slightly. They were coming off on a very slight angle to the left. Just enough for the right string to ring through. Filled 2 more stripped holes in the artist bench.

Sunday...seldom work a Sunday, but today I put together a restored pump organ...and watched two foxes out my shop window...life is good here in Michigan. Played my guitar and took a long walk. The stars are falling down its so beautiful, cold and crisp.

This weekend I met with friends from England in their concert tour that included Kalamazoo, and had a great discussion with them about our little piano shop in the countryside. We talked about strange piano and organ stories, and I think they would have probably, just then, rather come to our cottage and sat around our woodstove than gotten back on their bus. Sometimes I think what we do here is magic...it seems so to us...

Started off with a Baldwin L grand in a church, followed by an old open-faced pinblock Hadorff upright. After that, a Howard spinet (raised 30 cents). From there, a quick service call to unstick two keys on a newly-delivered George Steck console, and then another call to pull up a new bass string that slipped. Finished off with a 50-cent pitch raise on a 1925 Chickering grand. Nice full day.

We had a Japanese exchange student stay with us for one full year. I taught her English adding a few funny words that were not correct too. Like, here in Grand Rapids, we have a Meijer store. Pronounced Meyer. I told her to pronounce it My---JER. I want to go to My-Jer. She came home and said DAAAAD you did it again!

One day, she came home and said, dad, kids laugh at me. Why Tomoe? Dad, what did you teach me wrong now? Nothing, this time! What are you saying? It is when I ask for a "SHIT" of paper. I broke down laughing. Tears streaming down my face. She said, what so funny? It is spelled sheet right? I couldn't answer. I had to stop laughing first. I explained what she was actually saying and what it meant. She about crapped herself. Especially after I told her to go and ask her teacher tomorrow for a sheet of paper! I managed to get her to pronounce it correctly however after many tries.

Some of the hardest words to teach and get them to understand are words like Dam or Damn. Sheet, because they want to say it as I said above... Burn, burned, burnt, burning, barn, born, been, ben, and many more. They all sound the same to them she said and of course, some of them do.

She lives in Gifu. Pretty much right in the center of Japan. We had our own private guide, interpreter and all. We visited lots of places, many, many restaurants too. Shopping malls too. I love their foods. I said, Tomo, I taught you English for 12 months, you can interpret for us for 10 days. Anytime dad! She said. And so, she was our interpreter.

We went to Nagoya, to Kyoto and other places too. We stayed over night in Kyoto sleeping on the floor for the experience, the old fashioned way. Actually, many of them still prefer to sleep this way to this day. I think we saw about 50 Buddha's too.

We even happened upon two geisha girls as they were walking in full uniform down the street. Normally, they do not allow pictures to be take with strangers but, Tomo asked them and they said OK! Nice people! We had a wonderful time!

I have a customer whose last name ends in -eij, which is a Dutch spelling. The family are interesting people. Her husband is a MacArthur fellow. She bought my uncle's piano with some of the prize money.

I can't speak English well. An expression in right and left made a mistake in me, didn't it?

If everyone comes to Osaka City in Japan, please contact me.I know a lot of good restaurant. Sushi Tempura Ramen (Chinese noodles)it's like a pasta.My American acquaintance loves the Ramen. so he eat it everyday.he came from Flor.

Looks like no more baseball games on the backstage monitors this year!

Tuned a Yamaha M 100 with disk recorder, a year old Mason B (short grand) with damper issues, then went to a senior assisted care apartment building to tune a Hallet Davis (recent Chinese version) upright and an again Brambach BG. listening to the seniors discussing watching the world Series. Worked as fast as I possibly could so that I could get home in time to watch the game.

Jeez, BDB, enjoy the moment. I've been a Giants fan since they moved here in 58, and this is the first time they've won a series. They didn't beat around the bush this time. YEEEEEEEEAAAAAH.